Bale forming apparatus heretofore devised for baling recycleable waste products such as paper, cardboard and similar materials has been unduly complicated in structure. The ratio of the size of the bale forming apparatus, as compared to the size of the bale formed thereby, has been excessive.
In view of overhead space limitations in office buildings, warehouses, and other areas in which recycleable waste products are accumulated, and preferably baled prior to transporting to a refuse collection center; bale forming apparatus generally employed heretofore has had a horizontally reciprocating platen moveable through a horizontally disposed compaction chamber to form bales. Horizontal balers occupy excessive floor space and do not effectively utilize available overhead space.
A major difficulty encountered in bale forming apparatus, incorporating a vertically reciprocating platen having an outer periphery spaced closely to walls of the compaction chamber, has involved maintaining the face of the platen in a horizontal attitude to prevent wedging the platen between walls of the compaction chamber when force resisting movement of the platen is irregularly imposed against the face of the platen.
Heretofore platen leveling devices have included liquid filled leveling switches connected to solenoid actuated hydraulic circuits for controlling flow of fluid to cylinders urging the platen downwardly. Electrically actuated platen leveling systems heretofore devised are undesirable for utilization in baling certain types of refuse because dust, moisture and other foreign matter tend to foul or prevent actuation of delicate switching apparatus. Another disadvantage of electrically actuated platen leveling systems heretofore devised results from the inability of the leveling system to continuously sense and adjust flow of pressurized fluid to cylinders actuating the platen. The systems have employed electrical circuits, which are either open or closed, which results in constant hunting of the platen causing the platen to continuously tilt first in one direction and then in the other.